Flowgis! Meet fellow Flowgi and our Guest Spotlight feature, Patrick King! Patrick has been a loyal and dedicated student in Leah's Saturday AM class since 2013 - that's amazing! Learn more about him below:
What inspires you to practice at Flow?
A psoas injury and several twisted ankles brought me to yoga. Track and Basketball injuries from high school had manifested in frequent shoulder and back pain by my second year in college. I found some relief in chiropractic, but that benefit eventually plateaued. So, my original reasons for coming to yoga was to regain flexibility and reduce the pain from previous injuries. While managing these injuries is still important, what keeps me coming back to Flow is the amazing community of people that the studio attracts. I’ve met truly wonderful people.
What was your first yoga experience like?
My first yoga experience was very humbling. I could also say brutal, but that wouldn’t be very yogic of me! My first yoga class was during Yoga Week after a friend recommended the studio. However, it took another seven months for me to start a regular practice. The first several years of practice felt like I was fighting my body in order to heal itself. That obviously didn’t work. More recently however, I am listening more to what my body needs and letting that voice lead the way to better health.
Who are some of your most influential teachers?
Leah is by far my most influential teacher. I have taken Ashtanga with Gail and Todd, and have practiced at other studios, but I am in Leah’s class nearly every Saturday. Leah has been pretty open about her injuries and is really good about assisting other students working with their individual challenges. She creates a very non-competitive, non-judgmental, non-achievement-oriented environment for everyone, which is ideal for healing and strengthening.
What is something the Flow community may not know about you?
I grew up in Nashville, but I am actually from Morgantown, WVA.
What is your current practice like and how does it fit into your daily routine?
My primary practice is Saturday morning Vinyasa with Leah, but I have also tried Ashtanga, and Iyengar. During the weekday, I incorporate stretches that I have learned in class, but rarely take the time for full sequences. My ever-recurring New Year's resolution is to find more time for yoga!
Thanks so much for sharing, Patrick! We love your steadfast Saturday routine :)
(pictured: Patrick and his wife at the KL tower in Malaysia!)